Jackson County’s “Community-Backed Anti-Crime Tax,” or COMBAT, turns 30 this year. The program has been hailed for its contributions to crime reduction, but KCUR's Lawrence Brooks IV reports it's difficult to measure the program's influence.

For a third consecutive year, homicides in Kansas City are skyrocketing — and many of the victims are mothers. After shootings, headlines tend to focus on suspects, victims and charges. KCUR's Bek Shackelford-Nwanganga highlights the lasting pain suffered by family and friends who are left behind.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Trevor Grandin, Byron Love, and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg and Lisa Rodriguez.